Covid-19 & Health Update: Get Moving for Optimal Immune Health
Hello again everyone:
The lockdown during the ongoing pandemic has resulted in many of us not exercising like we were. This lack of exercise results in poor and reduced or impaired immune function. We all should know by now that as we age, our immune system undergoes a series of changes that decreases our ability to fight off infections and increases low-grade inflammation. This chronic low-grade background inflammation promotes chronic diseases and health conditions of all types. In addition to poor dietary choices, a lack of exercise (or too much exercise) can induce inflammation and thus impaired immune responses. These age-related processes are not inevitable, and a combination of a clean diet and exercise can help us keep our immune systems in optimal condition to keep us healthy under all circumstances…especially now.
Many observational studies have shown that physically active people of any age have better immune responses to vaccinations and less chronic inflammation. In the short-term, exercise boosts the ability of the immune system to find and fight off pathogens, while in the long-term, exercise has anti-inflammatory effects which can prevent the chronic low-grade inflammation typically associated with aging.
Bottom Line:
The Goldilocks principle is one that certainly applies to exercise: too much or too little exercise promotes inflammation…whereas the right amount of exercise will offer many benefits. So…get moving and do not stop. Here are a few of the benefits that the authors mention (1) :
- Acute exercise is an immune system adjuvant that improves defense activity and metabolic health.
- Data support a clear inverse relationship between moderate exercise training and illness risk.
- Exercise training has an anti-inflammatory influence mediated through multiple pathways. Illness risk is increased in athletes during periods of intensified training and competition.
- Habitual exercise improves immune regulation, delaying the onset of age-related dysfunction.
And as most of you know, my absolute favorite exercise is yoga. Check this out (2) :
“New research published in the Journal of Behavioral Medicine suggests that yoga can be a helpful way to boost your immune system and decrease inflammation in the body.”
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